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Israel has conducted strikes in Yemen’s capital, reportedly targeting senior Houthi military and political leaders during a high-level gathering in Sanaa.

Getting into it: The strikes coincided with a pre-recorded televised speech by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, which was being broadcast at the time of the attack. According to Israeli security sources, top Houthi officials, including Chief of Staff Muhammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari, were assembled at multiple locations across the city, reportedly to watch the address. Israeli intelligence indicated that the gathering was of strategic importance, prompting what officials described as a rapid, precise strike operation against these leadership hubs.

Loud explosions in the southern and western parts of Sanaa as Israeli air and naval forces executed the strikes. Among the targeted sites were residential buildings allegedly used by senior Houthi officials, a facility owned by Yemen’s national oil company, a power plant, and a military site near the presidential palace. The strikes also damaged key infrastructure, with thick smoke visible over parts of the city.

According to the Houthi-run Health Ministry, at least 10 people were killed and 102 others were injured, including seven children and three women. Of the wounded, 21 were reported to be in critical condition. The Houthis claim the attacks hit civilian infrastructure, while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) assert that all targets were being used for military purposes by the Houthi regime.

As of now, it’s unclear if any senior Houthis were killed in the strikes.

This all comes as the Houthis have vowed to continue launching attacks against Israel. Since the outbreak of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, the Houthis have fired missiles and drones toward Israeli territory and targeted maritime vessels in the Red Sea they allege are linked to Israel. The group says its campaign is an expression of solidarity with the Palestinian cause and a direct response to Israeli military operations in Gaza. In turn, Israel has justified its strikes in Yemen as necessary to degrade the Houthi group’s operational capabilities. They also say that the Houthis function as a proxy of Iran and represent a growing regional threat.